Overview

There are more than 5 million people with Alzheimer's disease in the United States and 35 million worldwide. These numbers are expected to skyrocket to as many as 16 million and 115 million people, respectively, by mid-century. The potential of earlier diagnosis and the development of better treatments may significantly change the experience of Alzheimer's for millions of people. In the meantime, the cost of care will rise dramatically. These factors will provide unprecedented challenges and opportunities to the Association over the coming years.

In fact, never has the case for accelerated progress been more urgent. Ten thousand baby boomers turn 65 each day and the 85-plus population is one of our fastest-growing population segments. While Alzheimer's disease already costs $203 billion in the United States alone, this number will increase to $1.2 trillion by 2050 unless we find a way to prevent, treat or delay Alzheimer's disease in the very near future.

The Alzheimer's Association is the global leader in Alzheimer's advocacy, research and support. To enhance and strengthen this leadership position, as well as expand the depth, breadth and pace of the Alzheimer's movement, we have committed to do more.

The foundation of the FY15 - FY18 Strategic Plan is a bold, 10-year vision for the Alzheimer's disease movement, going beyond what the Association can achieve on its own. This vision, and this first of three strategic plans to accomplish it, sets clear milestones for the Alzheimer's Association to accelerate progress. While it will not be possible to achieve this vision alone, the Association has a unique role to play in changing the course of Alzheimer's and supporting millions of people living with the disease.

Note: All references to Alzheimer's disease include related disorders.

Our vision

A world without Alzheimer's disease.

Our mission

To eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

Our core values

The Alzheimer's Association's core values are forged by our commitment to the highest ethical standards and drive our priorities, commitments and organizational decisions. Our reputation is the ultimate asset, and these core values guide our behaviors, judgments and how we accomplish our mission:

IntegrityWe assure and maintain transparency in our relationships with each other and with our various constituencies.

Commitment to excellenceWe lead through innovation, maximize technology to its fullest and relentlessly increase our knowledge.

InclusivenessWe operate in a spirit of inclusiveness by providing opportunities and forums for our many stakeholders to be represented and heard across activities throughout the Association.

DiversityWe vigorously encourage and welcome the power of diversity especially those who have been underserved or under represented.

Consumer focusWe seek to understand, learn from and meet the needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, their families and caregivers.

Strategic goals

Increasing Concern and Awareness of the Disease and the AssociationContinue commitment to strengthen the momentum of the Alzheimer's disease movement by increasing concern about Alzheimer's disease; increasing unaided awareness of the Alzheimer's Association in the Champions audience by 50 percent; and increasing constituent engagement through activities to support all strategic objectives.Advancing Public PolicySteadily increase the Association's influence with policymakers to achieve effective implementation of the National Alzheimer's Plan and established federal and state policy priorities. Accomplish this by executing strategies to develop knowledgeable, professional, productive relationships with state policymakers; mobilizing Alzheimer's advocates in a comprehensive, coordinated and activist-oriented plan to engage their members of Congress; and through the political activities of a respected and growing sister organization, the Alzheimer's Impact Movement. Enhancing Care and SupportIncrease the number of service contacts provided through quality measured Association programs and services directly delivered through chapters and the national organization through alz.org and the Contact Center by 50 percent.

Conduct an assessment to identify appropriate standards and evidence-based programs to ensure delivery of quality care, including supportive and diagnostic services. The results of this assessment will lead to collaboration with others within the broader dementia related field to achieve outcomes.

Accelerating ResearchThe Alzheimer's Association continues to be the respected leader and largest non-profit funder in advancing international Alzheimer's research. We are committed to maintaining our leadership role in convening, collaborating and coordinating to advance research and to playing a significant role in the direction and funding of research into the care, cure and prevention of Alzheimer's disease through the expansion of private and public funding efforts, domestically and abroad.

Growing Revenue Support of the MissionAchieve significantly greater Association-wide mission impact by growing contributed revenue by an average of 8 percent per year and additional growth through the nationwide research campaign toward the five-year goal of doubling all Association revenue to $450 million by 2019, through the development of an Association-widephilanthropic culture (including boards, staff and volunteers at national and chapters) that fully embraces,prioritizes and invests in partnerships, fundraising and revenue growth priorities as essential keys to the success of the mission.

10-year vision

In 2012, the organization undertook a strategic assessment process to look at the external environment and internal capacity and potential in order to determine what is necessary to change the trajectory of Alzheimer's disease and to support people living with Alzheimer's today and in the future. As a result of this collaborative, organization-wide work, a bold, 10-year vision for research and care and support was created. This three-year strategic plan seeks to both continue critical current work while laying the groundwork for achieving this longer-term vision. The most critical vision lever identified as part of the strategic assessment process was a rapid acceleration in fundraising leading to doubling revenue in the next five years.

10-Year Vision ResearchThe Association will contribute to research breakthroughs that are life-changing for people with Alzheimer's disease by driving the international research agenda. This includes developments across treatment, diagnosis/ detection and prevention, and requires ongoing advances in tools, processes and systems that will facilitate breakthroughs. The three-year priorities identified to achieve this 10-year vision are:

Make research funding an Association-wide priority.

Dramatically advance Association-wide fundraising for research.

Conduct nationwide, dedicated research campaigns.

Engage chapters in research fundraising.

Complete the push for funding to the field by funding Alzheimer's Impact Movement (AIM and increasing awareness and policy efforts.

Explore and test opportunities for international fundraising.

10-Year Vision: Care and Support The Association will contribute to a dramatic increase (e.g., to 90 percent) in the accurate and timely diagnosis of people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and a significant increase in the number of people with dementia and their caregivers who receive affordable, high-quality care and support (e.g., to 80 percent of people with the disease). This 10-year vision requires collaborating with others in the field, as the task is too large to be done only by the Association. Implementation requires a three-stage transition, which will begin in this strategic plan period (FY15 - FY18). The three-key priorities identified to achieve the 10-year vision are:

Identify, create and provide a set of evidence-based signature care and support programs.

Set standards for high-quality care and support across the "continuum of care," within the Association and across the broader field.